Compare towns
Topsfield vs Danforth vs Portage Lake
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
Bordering TopsfieldTalmadge
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Topsfield has the most homeowners (95.1%).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Portage Lake has the most people working from home (14.9%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Topsfield | Danforth | Portage Lake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 214Lowest |
452Highest |
374 |
| Median age | 63.5±4.9 42% above ME |
51.9±5.3Lowest 16% above ME |
66.2±2.2Highest 48% above ME |
| Portage Lake and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±10.4 ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.1%±4.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Danforth and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 44.9%±12.5 ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±5.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
55.9%±5.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Portage Lake and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
11.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±5.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Danforth and Portage Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $48,125±$16k 36% below ME |
$42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$60,000±$33kHighest 20% below ME |
| Portage Lake and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $141,700±$32k 52% below ME |
$85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$202,200±$33kHighest 32% below ME |
| Portage Lake and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $629±$22Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,100±$1kHighest 3% below ME |
| Portage Lake and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $957Lowest 68% below ME |
— | $1,721Highest 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Portage Lake and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 5.1%±6.2 ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.9%±17.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Portage Lake and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | East Range CSD | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.